Yangon, Myanmar – The families of two Reuters journalists imprisoned in Myanmar who had uncovered a massacre in Rakhine State were devastated on Friday when a court dismissed the couple's appeal to overturn their seven-year jail term , [19659002] After the judge finds his verdict in a crowded courtroom in downtown Yangon, the wives of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo cried when high-ranking foreign diplomats offered their compassion.

There has been little reporter support since her arrest In December 2017, Kyaw Soe Oo's wife, Chit Su Win, still hoped for today's decision.

"We even hoped to go to jail if they were released today, but that's not the case," she said outside the gates of Yangon's regional high court in front of a crowd of reporters.

None of the men came to the decision on Friday. Both could not see their children in the last month. Wa Lone's imprisonment forced him to overlook the birth of his daughter in August of last year, while Kyaw Soe Oo only saw his three-year-old daughter in court and in prison.

A Message to Journalists [1

9659007] The two journalists were convicted in September under the Official Secrets Act of the country after being charged with possessing classified information.

Her nine-month trial was completely condemned as a scam aimed at suppressing independent reporting of large-scale killings of the military Rohingya.

"Journalists have received word that they should avoid these kinds of problems," said Myint Kyaw, Secretary of the Myanmar Journalists Network, to Al Jazeera.

The military is relentless, because its actions in late 2017 were legitimate counterinsurgency operations, but the United Nations called for high-ranking officials to be prosecuted for genocide. Defense Attorney Than Zaw Aung said he would talk with reporters about whether he would like to call an appeal or not Supreme Court of Myanmar. "We are very disappointed with today's verdict," he said.

Appealing in September, the defense pointed to the statement of a police captain, who said his colleagues had tied the reporters with one act by handing them documents and immediately arresting them. 19659013] WATCH: Appeals for the release of Reuters journalists on the anniversary of the arrests (02:26)

But Judge Aung Naing closely tied to today's verdict before observers in a cobwebbed high-ceiling courtroom impose the couple's jail described conditions as "appropriate punishment".

In addition to a Supreme Court ruling, the reporter's best hope for being released soon is a forgiveness from President Win Myint, who would receive orders from de facto chief Aung San Suu Kyi of the country. [19659004Anearlierintheprisoninjusticeisaninjustice"

Maja Kocijancic, EU foreign affairs spokeswoman, said:" We are confident that the President of Myanmar will immediately address this injustice and working together with the government to ensure that the press does so can fulfill its role as an essential pillar of democracy. "

Many are losing hope that former democracy icon Suu Kyi will intervene on behalf of the couple.

Bill Richardson, alleged US diplomat and former confidant of Suu Kyi Last year, she described the two journalists as "traitors" during a heated exchange.

Richardson returned to an international advisory board shortly after Rakhine's confrontation.

Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo report on Rakhine's report Inn Din Village last year showed how soldiers and villagers hacked and shot and killed 10 Rohingya men and boys before they were buried in a mass grave.

They were among nearly 7,000 Rohingya who died inside the first month of the military raid, which began in late August 2017, according to Doctors Without Borders.

The reporters were detained incommunicado for two weeks following their arrest. Wa Lone later testified that he was veiled during the interrogation days and without sleep.

"One day in jail was already an injustice," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's Director of Crisis Response. "This terrible farce must end now."